All that matters is a fast car

Max Verstappen has played down suggestions that Christian Horner’s Red Bull exit will influence his long-term commitment to the Formula 1 team.

After a 20-year stint building Red Bull into one of F1’s genuine powerhouses, leading to eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships, Horner was removed from his position as team principal and CEO just days after the British Grand Prix.

Amid a downturn in performance and a battle for power behind the scenes, Horner lost the support of Red Bull’s shareholders at a critical moment in the team’s history, with it embarking on its own power unit programme for 2026 and with Verstappen’s future still unclear.

Verstappen is known to have several exit clauses in his contract that means he can walk away before his 2028 end date, and his entourage has been holding conversations with Mercedes chief Toto Wolff in recent weeks.

Ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Verstappen faced the press for the first time since Red Bull’s seismic shift at the top. And while he paid tribute to Horner, he also played down Horner’s role in his own future despite an obvious rift between his former team boss and his father Jos.

“No, it doesn’t really. I think people can have a difference of opinion here and then, and I actually expect that to happen because if everyone always agrees [then] there is a problem. You need to have difference of opinions,” he said.

“I don’t think it will matter at all for my decision in the future, and the only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can. The last one and a half years have not been what we want to be. Now we try and be more competitive this year a little bit, but for sure also with the new regulations.”

When asked how he received the news of Horner being replaced by Racing Bulls team boss Laurent Mekies, and whether or not he was surprised, he explained: “Half a day before, the shareholders told me. I have a good relationship with them, so I think it’s quite normal that they inform some people in the team, before it goes out.

“At the end of the day, I think in this world things like that can happen. And when they told me it wasn’t like they just hung up the phone, you have a conversation about it. I don’t need to go into detail what they said.

“Management and the shareholders decided that they wanted to change and at the end of the day they run the team and I’m the driver, so whatever they decide it’s fully their right to do what they want, and that’s basically how it happened.

“At the same time, you look back at those 20 years of Red Bull, I think we’ve had a lot of great years, great results. Now, naturally of course there are also years where it’s not going that well and I think the last one and a half years have not gone how we would have liked. And management decided they wanted to steer the ship in a different direction, probably. And then everyone else has to anyway agree to that and look forward.”

He added: “I’m excited for the team now moving forward because that’s what we have to do. Looking back doesn’t make sense. But at the same time, you do appreciate those 20 years. The relationship between myself and Christian, for example, that doesn’t change. Of course, he’s not here now during a race weekend, but he’s still like a second family to me.”

Verstappen said his new boss Mekies has made a strong first impression on him as the pair held talks over the past few weeks.

“Of course, I’ve had a few meetings with him already. I cannot say right now within two weeks of not even action on track that suddenly everything is different or better, but we are trying to be better and it’s been good,” he said.

Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing CEO

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“He’s a very nice guy first of all, very clever guy. He’s been in different areas of the F1 paddock as well, and I think that can be helpful. He’s incredibly motivated and I like that. You can see the fire.”

The latest attempt by a journalist to gain clarity on the Dutchman’s future was deftly batted away, although he insisted he is still happy at Red Bull. So, is there a real possibility he will drive elsewhere next year? “There’s also a possibility I don’t wake up tomorrow, so that there is no driving at all,” he shot back.

“Life is unpredictable, but in general I’m very happy where I’m at and I hope – and it was still the target that we set out when we signed the new deal – that I would drive here until the end of my career.”